Not Applicable.
The present invention relates to antifriction bearings that have the capacity to transmit radial and axial loads through raceways that are oriented obliquely to the axes of the bearings, and more particularly to a process for monitoring operating conditions of such bearings and to bearings which may be so monitored.
Once a typical antifriction bearing is installed and set into operation, very little is known about the conditions under which it operates. In the case of a tapered roller bearing or an angular ball bearing, both of which have raceways orientated obliquely to the axis of rotation so that the bearing will transmit axial (thrust) loads as well as radial loads, temperature variations or other conditions may impart excessive preload to the bearing or perhaps too much end play. Both can shorten the life of a bearing. Misalignment of the races may develop without notice, and it also detracts from the operation and life of the bearing. In the case of a roller bearing, rollers may skew without anyone knowing about it, and that is also detrimental.
The present invention resides in a bearing having strain sensors located behind the raceway one of its races. The sensors are oriented to detect strains in the circumferential direction and will detect the presence of a loaded roller over the region of the raceway behind which the roller lies. The location and number of sensors determines the bearing condition which is monitored. The invention also resides in the process embodied in monitoring bearings.